What’s up next!

<p>Thank you so much friends for all your advice & support!! It really helped me a lot get things turned around to get me going in the right direction again!</p> <p>After posting last week about my broken record I thought back to what kept me motived when I originally lost 45+ lbs and a big part of it was  having and plan & working towards that next race. Guess what I did…..??? Yep, I signed up for a 5K that takes place on March 31st right here in my town!! That means in less than 3 weeks I’ll be running (probably walk/running) 3.1 miles!!</p> <p>I haven’t ran a <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/10/applefest-5k.html">5K race since I was just 4-5 weeks pregnant in October 2010</a>. Seems like such a long time ago! I have to admit I got those “pre race jitters” after I signed up…don’t ask why, the race is still a ways off! </p> <p>Time to get to work!</p>

What’s up next!

Thank you so much friends for all your advice & support!! It really helped me a lot get things turned around to get me going in the righ...

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Vernalpalooza! The Crazy World that Lies Beneath!

 <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0ok5lHolb6lnQPpGrWO_68H99pvJW8xpA8f1bU2PJBwn0cQ8HiH9JMgGWM-zOK2vXknu2vIIwsKdYx2Fk_GvwQXtG2zzmHJAcS_5z5116Bq9VoxDjcQH-mB6sBvFr8fE4Eql3JB8d4HL/s1600/IMG_9672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0ok5lHolb6lnQPpGrWO_68H99pvJW8xpA8f1bU2PJBwn0cQ8HiH9JMgGWM-zOK2vXknu2vIIwsKdYx2Fk_GvwQXtG2zzmHJAcS_5z5116Bq9VoxDjcQH-mB6sBvFr8fE4Eql3JB8d4HL/s320/IMG_9672.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Salamander--Photo by Kipp Brown</td></tr></tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Most days, I think I have one of the coolest jobs in the world.  I get to help people learn about wild animals.  It's fun, rewarding and I thoroughly enjoy it.  But once in awhile, even I get amazed at how cool my job is.  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I had the good fortune to host a workshop about vernal pools a couple weeks ago down at Shawnee State Park Lodge called Vernalpalooza.  We invited around 40 educators from across Ohio to come down for three days to learn about and experience the facinating world that is one of our most unique and, unfortunately, declining habitats in the state.  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For those that don't know, vernal pools are small, pocket wetlands that are usually found within woodland areas and only hold water in the spring and early summer, hence the term <em>vernal</em>.  They are free of fish, can be ground water or surface water fed, and are the nurseries to dozens of species of frogs, salamanders, aquatic invertebrates, and more.  On warm, early spring nights, especially if it's raining, you can find salamanders migrating en mass to these pools to breed.  In some parts of the state, roads are closed to traffic to minimize damage to these populations from vehicle traffic.</div><br /> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The objective of the workshop was for the participants to not only learn about vernal pools, but how to construct them in areas that could be used for educational purposes.  We had some outstanding and extremely knowledgeable instructors on topics such as vernal pool construction, vernal pool ecology, vernal pool monitoring, funding, collection and monitoring permits, and linkages to state education standards.  Overall, I think the participants learned a lot about these fragile and critical habitats and how to use them for education in a safe and ethical manner.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HM3XpI24c7-4JwtNw9xhbLxbAGNzglAS369aYjhcvJFLlfCaRXp45fepL15Z6acspAQITC1LYyr2dBlL2U6rqQQRqmhGUpRvJh1ndMWj3o0eUVmSQJRrr6HD94oJV10JJEiIrr83t8Hl/s1600/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(16).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HM3XpI24c7-4JwtNw9xhbLxbAGNzglAS369aYjhcvJFLlfCaRXp45fepL15Z6acspAQITC1LYyr2dBlL2U6rqQQRqmhGUpRvJh1ndMWj3o0eUVmSQJRrr6HD94oJV10JJEiIrr83t8Hl/s320/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(16).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the pools-Photos by Jim McCormac</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0vIZ_ToOb6h0C83ep-YHbgdP0rw7KLMdKJAd8yYS0nnf-0B5Gxl4818i50_i-ki8wHC7o_o68MTjEUQW-u5Wl6rzJ5tWZK5vUznOCNz2OMNRwQGvd3zX8RSaUxI3jwutgTwE9SeCnWWd/s1600/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(111).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0vIZ_ToOb6h0C83ep-YHbgdP0rw7KLMdKJAd8yYS0nnf-0B5Gxl4818i50_i-ki8wHC7o_o68MTjEUQW-u5Wl6rzJ5tWZK5vUznOCNz2OMNRwQGvd3zX8RSaUxI3jwutgTwE9SeCnWWd/s320/Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(111).JPG" width="320" /></a>But, the best part for me was the field trip! We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to access the General Electric Jet Engine Testing Grounds in Adams County.  This 7,000 acre property is literally out in the middle of nowhere.  And, fortunately, it has been left alone for the most part on the areas that are not used by GE.  So, there are some phenomenal examples of vernal pools that we were able to explore.  We first went to a natural pool that was absolutely amazing.  You couldn't move without seeing spotted salamanders and their egg masses, some lingering Jefferson's and their egg masses, wood frogs and egg masses, fairy shrimp, and we were even fortunate to find a fairly rare four-toed salamander hiding under the moss.  The second pool was a constructed pool and it was just as interesting, although not as productive.  It was significantly younger in age than the first pool, but you could tell it was well on its way to becoming prime habitat for the area.  It was a tremendous exploration and you could hear everyone's excitement in their voices as they walked around and found all these treasures.  Some squealed with delight, others laughed with pure joy.  As a coordinator, it was so amazing to watch the sheer joy on the participant's faces.  For me, that was the best part.  Check that, I have <u><strong>THE</strong></u> coolest job in the world! <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here are some photos from the workshop.  If you'd like more information about our upcoming workshops, sign up for our E-Newsletter online at <a href="http://www.wildohio.com/">http://www.wildohio.com/</a>  Be sure to select the Educator Edition.  </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQA1tZZ6Ys5GH33TfUGyre8UYCu9ZEWTIYN7BsF-50mHncayF_DTq2n5mnhyphenhyphenD05aZgktRZBrB9qKC6lycnEC1f97PJ6ofEkg9fCrQKD412dqVCqgTw6AqLcLWFcoHPBCY1DNzXgQAfdxz/s1600/Wood+Frog+eggs,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(101).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQA1tZZ6Ys5GH33TfUGyre8UYCu9ZEWTIYN7BsF-50mHncayF_DTq2n5mnhyphenhyphenD05aZgktRZBrB9qKC6lycnEC1f97PJ6ofEkg9fCrQKD412dqVCqgTw6AqLcLWFcoHPBCY1DNzXgQAfdxz/s320/Wood+Frog+eggs,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(101).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Frog eggs<br />Photo by Jim McCormac</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyLKmM0GpXex2_sgoqzzPh87psF5OE6ZyttUfqXDk5LFqdvXcq3rckZO1wfp3u-luJui9eSNsVqw-dnmjNmFtZdNKB_oiop3Qe_UKgJ65WZbTAjKpBFDQDrwcPIwTJSrSuOJcNCx1GBej/s1600/IMG_9860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyLKmM0GpXex2_sgoqzzPh87psF5OE6ZyttUfqXDk5LFqdvXcq3rckZO1wfp3u-luJui9eSNsVqw-dnmjNmFtZdNKB_oiop3Qe_UKgJ65WZbTAjKpBFDQDrwcPIwTJSrSuOJcNCx1GBej/s320/IMG_9860.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Entire Crew<br />Photo by Kipp Brown</td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7sm18FtQg99VsyK8CKtQWFqo6F1dwZYePuGL7bj3ffZG_N8Zx9qo1RZM2GbIVeK80T3g_r23ogqG1SsxZzPWqQl4I9xcE6N8chkfWpbpduHXD3b1E-aAE-bZa4KI83hQePYhD-MayoVa/s1600/Spotted+Salamander,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(54).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7sm18FtQg99VsyK8CKtQWFqo6F1dwZYePuGL7bj3ffZG_N8Zx9qo1RZM2GbIVeK80T3g_r23ogqG1SsxZzPWqQl4I9xcE6N8chkfWpbpduHXD3b1E-aAE-bZa4KI83hQePYhD-MayoVa/s320/Spotted+Salamander,+Vernalpalooza,+GE+Facility,+Adams+Co.,+OH+March+1,+2012+(54).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Salamander--Photo by Jim McCormac</td></tr></tbody></table>

Vernalpalooza! The Crazy World that Lies Beneath!

 Spotted Salamander--Photo by Kipp Brown  Most days, I think I have one of the coolest jobs in the world.  I get to help people learn ...

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Two Upcoming 5K's

For those of you who read The Big Weight in a Reader, you may not have noticed that I added two new “widgets” to the sidebar recently.  If you're able, please click through now to see them :).<br /><br />The two new widgets are for the <a href="http://www.marchofdimes.com/" target="_blank">March of Dimes</a> – <a href="http://www.marchforbabies.org/hilaryjp248" target="_blank">March for Babies</a> benefit walk and the <a href="http://www.cff.org/" target="_blank">Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s</a> <a href="http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?walkid=7701&idUser=464368" target="_blank">Great Strides 5K</a>.  I did both of these walks last year and was definitely inspired to make them part of my annual routine.  <br /><br />The March of Dimes is near and dear to my heart, as this was a foundation that the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) heavily supported.  I was a very active member of FBLA in high school and learned the mission of the March of Dimes then.  The mission, by the way, is simple:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #674ea7;"><b><i>We help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies.</i></b></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohokAq7gDBBVVMLrIJtkcL2Nz-O1LQnCPy1TGx6HwNeYP_a959yTE1QmWUxYy1deT91UozQH3tgF1KJgVJu9Y5VHrfY-O7PRqzUDlGyEd5Fc82Gor0JQNyEa1IzzpvyUMY1CS5hVgrrY/s1600/dimesmarch2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohokAq7gDBBVVMLrIJtkcL2Nz-O1LQnCPy1TGx6HwNeYP_a959yTE1QmWUxYy1deT91UozQH3tgF1KJgVJu9Y5VHrfY-O7PRqzUDlGyEd5Fc82Gor0JQNyEa1IzzpvyUMY1CS5hVgrrY/s400/dimesmarch2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/05/march-of-dimes-march-for-babies-5k.html" target="_blank">Last year’s walk</a> provided some very emotional moments.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpevr9P7aXKDBHUoLpxzEMWxlHeIcSWMYzbej7Hn6uGBlT4KVYI049f9UWgINpE1f8UFOWXXsoXNT40aaSZuDTqGfTqEBlZ4XBAF-l4oZPiel4zNGeoGHlNtkpS6cnYiK_RF7-Rs5h0U/s1600/dimesmarch4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpevr9P7aXKDBHUoLpxzEMWxlHeIcSWMYzbej7Hn6uGBlT4KVYI049f9UWgINpE1f8UFOWXXsoXNT40aaSZuDTqGfTqEBlZ4XBAF-l4oZPiel4zNGeoGHlNtkpS6cnYiK_RF7-Rs5h0U/s400/dimesmarch4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/05/great-strides-5k.html" target="_blank">Last year</a>, I chose to walk for the CFF for no other reason than I wanted another 5K to enroll in.  However, when you go to events like that, you quickly realize how it’s more than just a walk.   You see firsthand how your money benefits those affected by cystic fibrosis.  In high school I worked at a locally owned pharmacy.  We had a customer who had CF.  He was just a child and was such a joyful little kid everytime he came in with his mom to pick up his prescriptions.  At the time I didn’t even realize the magnitude of his disease.  As an adult, and someone who is pursuing a nursing degree, I have started to understand and appreciate the challenges involved with such illnesses. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3goM43505i5XzO2w3ZFHHptDIRr0wjirOTXjcM6DT3OfFxNNjqE7551jmkkyQy7DO_BugccED1C-N_oaZI1W8p7WBdlwquzqhvg1jzfyF2xAVGBd9nbHWquMnwab16E9rVxN3PeShEMs/s1600/CFF+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3goM43505i5XzO2w3ZFHHptDIRr0wjirOTXjcM6DT3OfFxNNjqE7551jmkkyQy7DO_BugccED1C-N_oaZI1W8p7WBdlwquzqhvg1jzfyF2xAVGBd9nbHWquMnwab16E9rVxN3PeShEMs/s400/CFF+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you can find it in your heart to make a donation to one of these organizations, know that it will be put to good use.  There are plenty of children/parents out there who really need the help that each of these organizations provide, and even $5 can make a difference.  <br /><br /><span style="color: #999999;">{Clicking on the widgets will take you to my campaign page where you can make a secure online donation.}  </span><br /><br />Thank you in advance on behalf of the March of Dimes and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for those of you who are able to contribute!

5K Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides March for Babies March of Dimes Two Upcoming 5K's

For those of you who read The Big Weight in a Reader, you may not have noticed that I added two new “widgets” to the sidebar recently.  If y...

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lonny love

Is anyone else draggy today? Whoever came up with the idea of Daylight Savings obviously did not have kids. A sick joke is what it is really.<br /><br />But on to happier things - like the latest issue of <a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a>. Nothing makes me happier than sitting out in the warm sunshine with my laptop and ice tea reading it page by page. For those of you that <a href="http://pinterest.com/ladybaum/" target="_blank">follow me on Pinterest</a>, you know I'm pinning this issue like a crazy woman.<br /><br />I always find amazing things to add to my wish list, like this (which would look great in my bedroom)<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL5cueL9fPM7WKbM8xduXva6QR31OMCSbyLakl9aivacX-Vc8OGziInxm9mGZEI4-KaCSq6miqy2JCihPu5gGJyEhL7v6i4A7UZdt_aRAhtYh3fYnbK9Qm76aqwQ3AVUAH0ckKTLPt9P9/s1600/product5189.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL5cueL9fPM7WKbM8xduXva6QR31OMCSbyLakl9aivacX-Vc8OGziInxm9mGZEI4-KaCSq6miqy2JCihPu5gGJyEhL7v6i4A7UZdt_aRAhtYh3fYnbK9Qm76aqwQ3AVUAH0ckKTLPt9P9/s320/product5189.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bunnywilliams.com/beeline/brush-stroke-lamp-blue/" target="_blank">BeeLine Home</a> via <a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p11" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>and this.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgou8AuRx0WgJ2_tFESFu8rLNFwqlkwcfgfhmXgbCWDQfgA19zBwLQVS5TL8fu-OPGl8MhSgEuw0R0p5OXF0imqychf9hNlRg_oXOyI029WWOhl-DTokcoygeR8eySeYP7w0otCgp4G7EoB/s1600/turtle-shell-brass-tray.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgou8AuRx0WgJ2_tFESFu8rLNFwqlkwcfgfhmXgbCWDQfgA19zBwLQVS5TL8fu-OPGl8MhSgEuw0R0p5OXF0imqychf9hNlRg_oXOyI029WWOhl-DTokcoygeR8eySeYP7w0otCgp4G7EoB/s320/turtle-shell-brass-tray.jpeg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.highstreetmarket.com/products/turtle-shell-brass-tray" target="_blank">Turtle Shell Brass Tray</a> via <a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p24" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then there are always a few dozen things I want to try out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like this mirrored door.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcXIyk20ARdV37XK5vArVpES7ECbjoghbiLuZ_Fvhe84hyphenhyphen96BHseQuGgQ6_E0dlPsNK6wfiYVl1kUzmfzRXThY8fXtGFtOZ3tJkDD590a9iULGhugy72o1hcdBvN2HEGnkIcsMUWGvjNM/s1600/3481-1331353260.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcXIyk20ARdV37XK5vArVpES7ECbjoghbiLuZ_Fvhe84hyphenhyphen96BHseQuGgQ6_E0dlPsNK6wfiYVl1kUzmfzRXThY8fXtGFtOZ3tJkDD590a9iULGhugy72o1hcdBvN2HEGnkIcsMUWGvjNM/s640/3481-1331353260.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p57" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And painted faux molding (this would work great in my bedroom as well - I've got bedroom brain today).</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscT54deThP9xRE4zHKUZJTzkOZQHDr7ck5f_ILY6KEsYz7B00Adj6EwB5mdk5jtZDJVIBz3U9yQNuKG6ckinKOycu6XzA2a-8LwxWZbjakYkw-z4aPFmn-XkWfQ7Weadw9IbWLe0hEmpW/s1600/3498-1331353483.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscT54deThP9xRE4zHKUZJTzkOZQHDr7ck5f_ILY6KEsYz7B00Adj6EwB5mdk5jtZDJVIBz3U9yQNuKG6ckinKOycu6XzA2a-8LwxWZbjakYkw-z4aPFmn-XkWfQ7Weadw9IbWLe0hEmpW/s640/3498-1331353483.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p74" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are also great ideas for mixing high and low items.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZSgAsnCOh5D1mU0aTORmunamPAnbyVHUi5jQ0sGtrPlNzZqn_s619LAvTleN5sCOx0EHV-p5oDdq9fXTrD11G3EioEwRe7a_Jasz9YEmKMJitp6y1SUoWzpU-JkUmUqG4VB9Qq-oJynx/s1600/3525-1331353802.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZSgAsnCOh5D1mU0aTORmunamPAnbyVHUi5jQ0sGtrPlNzZqn_s619LAvTleN5sCOx0EHV-p5oDdq9fXTrD11G3EioEwRe7a_Jasz9YEmKMJitp6y1SUoWzpU-JkUmUqG4VB9Qq-oJynx/s640/3525-1331353802.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lonnymag.com/issues/33-march-april-2012/pages/1#p101" target="_blank">Lonny Magazine</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Be sure to take some time to look thru the latest issue. It is always a treat!</div>

lonny love

Is anyone else draggy today? Whoever came up with the idea of Daylight Savings obviously did not have kids. A sick joke is what it is really...

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EU propaganda video recalled

<br /><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A recalled EU propaganda video reveals more about 'the idea of Europe' than its makers intended</b></span></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rlOzeJ5iqME?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="submitted" style="color: #444444;"><span class="timestamp"><abbr class="published" title="2012-03-10T23:14:41+00:00"></abbr></span> <span class="timestamp"><abbr class="published" title="2012-03-10T23:14:41+00:00">By  Anya Topolski  </abbr></span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">A few days ago the EU Directorate General for Enlargement released, only to recall it three days later, this video clip, entitled Growing Together^{<a href="http://archive.wikiwix.com/opendemocracy/?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlOzeJ5iqME%26feature=player_embedded&title=Growing%0ATogether" id="link14" rel="nofollow" title="archive de Growing Together"></a>}, aimed at young audiences with the intention of promoting EU policies.</div><div style="color: #444444;">Costing a whopping €127,000 ($167,000), this video did much more than that. It made transparent the all-too-often implicit xenophobia that is constitutive of ‘the idea of Europe’. The video not only taps into Europe’s foundational myth, it seems to justify the current existence of the European Union on the same grounds that once justified Europe’s imperialist adventures which led to its colonization of 85% of the globe. According to the relevant European Commission Director General, Stefano Sannino, the clip featured typical characters from the martial arts genre: kung fu, capoeira and kalaripayattu masters; it started with a demonstration of their skills and ended with all characters showing their mutual respect, concluding in a position of peace and harmony.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">In this clip Europe is symbolized as a white woman walking and wading through puddles of water in a warehouse. For those that know their Greek mythology, this cannot simply be a coincidence. Europa, the virgin daughter of an Asian king, was frolicking in the ocean when whisked away by the Greek God Zeus, disguised as a white bull, who then raped and abandoned her. The night before she was assaulted, Europa dreamt of being attacked by the continents of Asia and Libya (the Greek name for what is now Africa) and finally being rescued by ‘civilization’. Just as in the myth, Europe – in the EU video – is attacked by three ‘barbaric’ men. First comes the attack from the East, an aggressive Asian looking kung-fu fighter.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">Next Europe is attacked from the Orient by a sultan with a massive blade that cannot but convey images of the Crusades and the fight against the infidels. Last but not least comes that half-naked African. Enough said. Europe, reminding the world of its superiority and its ability to put violence in the past in the name of Reason simply stares condescendingly at the barbarians.  She multiplies herself – as a good woman ‘created’ to reproduce it implies ought to do – and encircles her enemies who relinquish their weapons. Each of the ‘identical’ women then becomes a star on the European flag and the three barbarians , that is the world in all its diversity, are erased – they vanish.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">While one can, and should, be shocked by this, what is even more appalling is that this was not obvious to those that filmed it – those same people who are currently constructing Europe. Yet, the point I want to make is that this video does in fact symbolically depict one version of the painfully ‘true’ story of the idea of Europe.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">What’s interesting for our story is that it was the threat of the infidels and the Orient that often helped to keep Christian Europe together.  First, in the period of the schisms between the Eastern and Western Churches, it was the Crusades that reminded Europe that our enemies were more important than our differences. Exemplified by the call to arms by Pope Urban II (1088-99) to join the Crusades, the most potent expression of this reality was captured in the <i>Song of Roland ‘Pagans are wrong and Christians right’ (v.1015).</i> In the 15th century, Europe sought to both purify itself of its unwanted siblings, both older and younger, by means of the Spanish inquisition.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">Similarly, in the sixteenth century, the threat of the Orient – specifically the Ottoman Turks – ‘helped’ Europe to resolve its internal conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. This brings us to the last part of our story. The Europe of today, in the aftermath of Auschwitz and Srebrenica, seems to want to define itself by means of the history of the Enlightenment, its ability to be rational, civilized, and secular. In doing so, it not only covers over its horrendous history of violence both within and beyond its borders, it also denies that secularism is simply another imperial Christian or should I say, European, project.</div><div style="color: #444444;"><br /></div><div style="color: #444444;">While the EU certainly did not wish to tell this story, perhaps the story can be of some greater service to Europe if it only forces us to ask the question: what does ‘unity in diversity’ really mean? If it is nothing more than the cunning encircling of otherness by an abstract universal clone, then the narrative of imperialism has not changed, merely the dress. Quite literally.  It’s the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes all over again. I can only hope that this video might actually be both what the people want – transparency – and what the politicians need – a mirror. Unfortunately for those of us who are, have been, or will be Europe’s others, it is much easier to recall a video than it is to recall one’s history.</div>

EU propaganda video recalled

A recalled EU propaganda video reveals more about 'the idea of Europe' than its makers intended By  Anya Topolski  A few ...

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Week/Weekend Recap

First off, congratulations to <a href="http://www.myweightingplace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kari</a> for winning the Weight Watchers Magazine giveaway :)!  <br /><br />I think I'll start with the bad, then quickly move on to the good and pretend the bad was never discussed.<br /><br />I've been doing a lot of gaining, which means I've been doing a lot of eating {and drinking of beer}, and not abiding by eTools.  I have banished those practices and already have myself set up for some delicious meals this week.  Friday I <i>will </i>have a loss.<br /><br />Now to the fun stuff!<br /><br />Last week I made the <a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=203061&tab=2" target="_blank">Kielbasa Baked Ziti</a>, an eTools recipe.  I didn't change a thing about it and loved it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2NjXofYORDbVzU5TKBb0LgUMuF3IPRPNyNNqHp8Uc6SbV5dGVGn9DcKs5jo4jEQCfdZIoldnAXCwuTbOZuVPmeEtwB-Vmi1XbcmEl3sdYzbRsL5kSh2BcOavaEaqsIdU3erv3B8x0nE/s1600/WW+Ziti+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2NjXofYORDbVzU5TKBb0LgUMuF3IPRPNyNNqHp8Uc6SbV5dGVGn9DcKs5jo4jEQCfdZIoldnAXCwuTbOZuVPmeEtwB-Vmi1XbcmEl3sdYzbRsL5kSh2BcOavaEaqsIdU3erv3B8x0nE/s400/WW+Ziti+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It offered plenty of flavor with the cheeses, turkey kielbasa, peas and the <a href="http://www.redgold.com/tuttorosso/products.asp" target="_blank">sauce</a> I used.  Easy, quick, tasty and I will definitely make this again!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UeaDxABhv59DZHB0pAoP6pGC2OErjOZ4F0yWCvGmv0QHnNb_NxXmJnWtQI2X5VsAcHL-6j5OQbROWtIoY0BKACL5HxY1DdkcHhE4BDUEovtYLKezvk7KkRBUZ2_APqJIYo8T2BHeBtg/s1600/WW+Ziti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UeaDxABhv59DZHB0pAoP6pGC2OErjOZ4F0yWCvGmv0QHnNb_NxXmJnWtQI2X5VsAcHL-6j5OQbROWtIoY0BKACL5HxY1DdkcHhE4BDUEovtYLKezvk7KkRBUZ2_APqJIYo8T2BHeBtg/s400/WW+Ziti.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br /><br />Next up was an AWESOME meal at <a href="http://www.famousdaves.com/" target="_blank">Famous Daves</a>.  I have never been there before, mainly because I'm not a huge meat eater.  I do like meat, but I'm very basic with my meat choices - ground beef, chicken, and turkey.   I don't like ribs, steak, pulled pork, etc.  While Famous Daves is pretty "famous" for those latter entrees, they also had a great chicken sandwich that I loved, made especially delicious by adding some of their tasty barbeque sauce.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBtoqPr4xlQrYBVujp0LY-hzA4ojtvH_LtgMBbGpPyVYM2fLCGyDwHKhfVDJz8rdJLxwJbzUvsYSPEv6ILZPLaXhQO5h-gjQWD77HAjbebfhlk7_l_K5LSYCylCyqUoYifLr98gAcx8/s1600/Famous+Daves+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBtoqPr4xlQrYBVujp0LY-hzA4ojtvH_LtgMBbGpPyVYM2fLCGyDwHKhfVDJz8rdJLxwJbzUvsYSPEv6ILZPLaXhQO5h-gjQWD77HAjbebfhlk7_l_K5LSYCylCyqUoYifLr98gAcx8/s400/Famous+Daves+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first letters of the different BBQ sauces they offer - presented by our server</td></tr></tbody></table>I felt like I was able to easily stay On Plan eating here.  Their dishes are all on eTools!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqCdgVYDgfflZ7FazGluZs4n1JQv6Wt4NMstrvw8Opj3ALjnkhEZO9kfYQrnR7hr3cIumIaG18iULk7E4EUdXZFCtxccCoYlheXiNZ5blV0nBWpAvdGRBDqON_e_slXbBWy-ld3Y6lHc/s1600/Famous+Daves+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqCdgVYDgfflZ7FazGluZs4n1JQv6Wt4NMstrvw8Opj3ALjnkhEZO9kfYQrnR7hr3cIumIaG18iULk7E4EUdXZFCtxccCoYlheXiNZ5blV0nBWpAvdGRBDqON_e_slXbBWy-ld3Y6lHc/s400/Famous+Daves+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I will definitely go back to this place in the near future!<br /><br />Because of all the poor eating I've been doing, I stayed exceptionally active this weekend.  I completed three workouts already!  I did two at the gym, and one at a nearby park.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdjkY1wB_OwMo3OdURxW2IzFn4XA131bru9bqokfN3BW2wYf6TI_5AnOgmxULH5aC-2A_PS68om8zebs8nnZOClzX9w2SwfnBKzUAJ9Krg5B6acJZGc8zJGbDJVhJKv0LVad5aUr9nXE/s1600/Huntley+path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdjkY1wB_OwMo3OdURxW2IzFn4XA131bru9bqokfN3BW2wYf6TI_5AnOgmxULH5aC-2A_PS68om8zebs8nnZOClzX9w2SwfnBKzUAJ9Krg5B6acJZGc8zJGbDJVhJKv0LVad5aUr9nXE/s400/Huntley+path.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />I got some pretty great pictures while there. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWrg-kKBJgL0CYkJdeoBqgzY1Fow1IRPnJqhh5E-cf-RQ16r9GGsIg0POtSGB849yv-idkW8s-UGb8dxMIF-2Rb1Qqk4caEHsPi5TFSn0XcpTYZKnVNOA_q4fHNsmVsVVf4qelVdqXc/s1600/Huntley+log.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWrg-kKBJgL0CYkJdeoBqgzY1Fow1IRPnJqhh5E-cf-RQ16r9GGsIg0POtSGB849yv-idkW8s-UGb8dxMIF-2Rb1Qqk4caEHsPi5TFSn0XcpTYZKnVNOA_q4fHNsmVsVVf4qelVdqXc/s400/Huntley+log.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />We decided to go off the neat and tidy path and head around the Pond Trail.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUPes8x2d6fEydSfK3fYc1Ylr9cvSB_6gDlMqfUyk5iM8AkdyuSd8fTcZDPSYmRok9bLuvCvGbyQaKd8qNESg2mDOrf-EHad5CZmzf4HOjy4WDUQdFd8ChA2cDPU-Jw9_iX7wXd7AOSc/s1600/pond+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUPes8x2d6fEydSfK3fYc1Ylr9cvSB_6gDlMqfUyk5iM8AkdyuSd8fTcZDPSYmRok9bLuvCvGbyQaKd8qNESg2mDOrf-EHad5CZmzf4HOjy4WDUQdFd8ChA2cDPU-Jw9_iX7wXd7AOSc/s400/pond+trail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It was fairly muddy, but still a nice stroll through the woods.  While on this little diversion, we came upon this crazy looking tree.  There were several trunks with branches that draped down to the ground {click for a larger pic that hopefully offers a better perspective}. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Sx39tv362zKcliDM_wWNs2QzvyySp7PTV1VRmB5M18PU-UPlFY97SyfMJOZAEI38iAbasGdWyor1PnaTI-DbJ296wGQH9u_wNok_UnkUppnEHgcpW5Cesu386DdIcaPnj_ctc4AuqkY/s1600/Huntley+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Sx39tv362zKcliDM_wWNs2QzvyySp7PTV1VRmB5M18PU-UPlFY97SyfMJOZAEI38iAbasGdWyor1PnaTI-DbJ296wGQH9u_wNok_UnkUppnEHgcpW5Cesu386DdIcaPnj_ctc4AuqkY/s400/Huntley+Tree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Perhaps my favorite part of this walk was coming upon this guy:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8x2_YqK_XuNRK6-Uda1BONbdZwfx2opu0CbgM8zWbuugm2F4tnx5X6XZ5D2gIMb7PlhgtOtyWKZX4zFkSYTk8v3Rs2IBL0dQnFnY3-FgNLTCwSIXz0QeD9xbz8yrNAgADTEADj7yW-50/s1600/cardinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8x2_YqK_XuNRK6-Uda1BONbdZwfx2opu0CbgM8zWbuugm2F4tnx5X6XZ5D2gIMb7PlhgtOtyWKZX4zFkSYTk8v3Rs2IBL0dQnFnY3-FgNLTCwSIXz0QeD9xbz8yrNAgADTEADj7yW-50/s400/cardinal.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><br />My FAVORITE bird, the cardinal!  He also happens to be our state bird here in Virginia.  I love them so much. <br /><br />By the way, "we" in this story is myself and Joel.  By the grace of God <i>alone</i>, He brought Joel back to me.  Even after Joel moved out of our condo, even after all that was said, it was clear that there was no one who would be able to change Joel's heart and mind other than the G-man.  I have held off sharing this information so quickly because of the fragility of it all.  However, it is clear and understood that we are both committed to working on our relationship, placing God first in hearts, and each other second. <br /><br />I am SO happy again!<br /><br /><br />

Exercise Gain Joel Weekend Recap Week/Weekend Recap

First off, congratulations to Kari for winning the Weight Watchers Magazine giveaway :)!  I think I'll start with the bad, then quickly...

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Library Director - U.S. Coast Guard Academy

<strong>Library Director </strong>- Vacancy Announcement Number: 120003SRACAD. CLOSING DATE: <span style="color: red;">March 29, 2012</span>. JOB SUMMARY: The <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>U.S. Coast Guard Academy</strong></span>, located in New London, Connecticut, invites applications for a fulltime Library Director. This is a twelve month, fulltime, permanent Professional Faculty position. The Academy seeks an individual with proven leadership, strong administrative skills, and managerial experience in higher education to oversee the Library Program. The Library Director reports directly to the Dean of Academics of the Coast Guard Academy and collaborates with the Academic Department Chairs, Associate Dean of Student Support Services, and the Registrar. Through leadership and service to students, faculty, and staff, the Library Director promotes the academic achievement and scholarship of tomorrows Coast Guard Officer Corps. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is a highly selective federal military college providing a rigorous undergraduate program. In addition, the Coast Guard Academy provides the professional education and training required to prepare young women and men for careers as commissioned officers in the U. S. Coast Guard, the nations oldest continuous seagoing service, which is wellknown for its humanitarian missions. The Academy offers B.S. degrees in eight academic majors: Naval Architecture/Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Marine/Environmental Sciences, Operations Research/Computer Analysis, Management, and Government; the Academy is staffed with over 110 fulltime civilian and military faculty. The attractive riverside campus is home to a nationally representative and diverse student body of about 1,000. The Academy is located near the shoreline of southeastern Connecticut, midway between New York and Boston, and is within commuting range of regional as well as other national colleges and universities in the CT/RI/MA tristate area. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Visit www.cga.edu for more information. MAJOR DUTIES: Directs and administers all Library operations, including supervision of a civilian staff. Manages and leads the strategic planning of all Library services. Represents the Academy Library in college administrative groups and engages in partnerships to further integrate the Library's mission with the Coast Guard Academy's Strategic Plan. Working collaboratively with fellow administrators, faculty, staff, and cadets, the Director builds connections Academy wide to improve Library services and foster a supportive and productive community of scholarly achievement. QUALIFICATIONS: U. S. Citizenship. A Masters or higher degree in Librarianship/Information Sciences from an ALA accredited program. Continuing professional development in the field of Library Science beyond the Masters degree. Current understanding of library operation in higher education. Demonstrated experience with integrating and leveraging general information technology, library applications, and emerging technologies to support library operations, increase efficiency, and enhance customer experience. Strong record of successful library management in higher education, including project leadership; effective response to changing roles of academic libraries and the needs of the community they support; and experience working with and developing budgets. Experience in integrating library services in higher education with institutional programs. Solid evidence of successful collaborations with faculty and students. Excellent interpersonal, mentoring, and communication skills. Experience mentoring diverse student populations in higher education, and/or promoting diversity initiatives, including efforts at creating communities of inclusion. Experience in promoting library staff efficiency, creativity, and ability to achieve larger strategic goals. Experience with current higher education assessment methods and initiatives at both the library and institutional level. HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED: Each application package will be evaluated against the qualifications criteria described in this announcement. If selected for an interview, you will also be evaluated on your responses to interview questions. OTHER INFORMATION: [<a href="http://www.cga.edu/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2029" target="_blank">Please see complete job listing</a> <img alt="PDF icon" src="http://www.ctlibrarians.org/associations/10663/files/pdf.jpg" />] HOW TO APPLY: Individuals wishing to be considered for this position must submit a complete application package to <a href="mailto:librarydirectorsearch@uscga.edu">librarydirectorsearch@uscga.edu</a>. A complete application package consists of: 1. Curriculum Vita; 2. CGA Excepted Service Position Application Supplemental Sheet (<a href="http://www.cga.edu/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2029" target="_blank">located here - scroll to bottom of page</a> <img alt="PDF icon" src="http://www.ctlibrarians.org/associations/10663/files/pdf.jpg" />); 3. A letter: a. Describing how you meet the qualifications specified in this vacancy announcement; b. Describing your experience mentoring diverse student populations, and/or any experience you have in promoting diversity initiatives, including efforts at creating communities of inclusion; and c. Listing the names, mailing addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of at least 3 references; 4. Copy of transcripts showing degree(s) obtained. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: You may or may not be contacted for an interview. All applicants will receive notification regarding selection or non?selection. Such notification may take several weeks and/or months. Minority and/or women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy prides itself in maintaining, developing, and promoting a community of inclusion that embodies a representative cross section of the population of the United States. It is our belief that gender, racial, ethnic, and religious diversity are critical to the professional and personal development of future Coast Guard Officers as well as the entire academic and professional community at the Academy.

Library Director - U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Library Director - Vacancy Announcement Number: 120003SRACAD. CLOSING DATE: March 29, 2012 . JOB SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard Academy , lo...

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Library Assistant (Cataloger) - Wesleyan University

<strong>Library Assistant (Cataloger)</strong> - <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Wesleyan University</strong></span>. This is a part-time, .8 FTE, position. Reporting to the Head of Cataloging, the Library Assistant (Cataloger) participates in the creation and maintenance of an online catalog of library materials in a variety of languages and formats including electronic books. Main responsibilities: Search for cataloging records in the OCLC bibliographic database, import them into the online catalog, and revise them as needed in the catalog and OCLC. Review cataloging records and shelf-ready volumes received through our main book vendor. Create original, from-scratch cataloging records in OCLC and import them into the online catalog. Add e-book cataloging records to the online catalog individually or via batch loads of vendor-supplied records; for the latter, acquire updated files from multiple sources on a regular basis, edit them to our standards, and load them into the catalog. Manage e-book records and URL links in a future e-book management system. Update the online catalog to add, transfer, and withdraw items and make corrections. Work closely with other Technical Services and library staff to facilitate technical services workflow, particularly in regard to e-books. Provide training and guidance to library staff using the online catalog. Expedite cataloging and resolve problems for library staff, faculty members, and students. Minimum requirements: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent training and experience in library work. Cataloging experience. Experience with an Integrated Library System. Excellent computer keyboarding skills and working knowledge of Windows, Word, Excel, and Internet browsers. Proven command of English language and some proficiency in one or more foreign languages, especially Romance languages. Demonstrated interest in e-books and/or other web-based media. Starting salary: $27,664. This position is in the secretarial/clerical bargaining unit. The position works 1,456 hour per year (typical schedule is 5.6 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks per year). For the full job description and to apply go to <a href="https://careers.wesleyan.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51525" target="_blank">https://careers.wesleyan.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51525</a>. Applications received by <span style="color: red;">March 23, 2012</span>, will be given first consideration.

Library Assistant (Cataloger) - Wesleyan University

Library Assistant (Cataloger) - Wesleyan University . This is a part-time, .8 FTE, position. Reporting to the Head of Cataloging, the L...

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Library Director - Bronxville (NY) Public Library

<strong>Library Director</strong> - <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Bronxville Public Library</strong></span>. The Board of Trustees of the Bronxville (NY) Public Library is seeking an experienced, energetic and articulate leader with proven management skills to be the next Library Director. Job Description: The Library Director works closely with an eight-member Board of Trustees, manages an annual operating budget of over $1. 2 million and a staff of 28 employees (7 full-time), and oversees a collection of 170,000 items and an historic Village building. The Bronxville Public Library serves a highly educated suburban community of 6,500 residents located just outside of New York City, and draws heavily from neighboring communities of Yonkers, Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle. BPL is one of 38 libraries in the Westchester Library System, with one of the highest circulation rates in the county. The Library is a destination for members of the Bronxville community and beyond who are drawn to the extensive range of programs as well as to the high-quality traditional services delivered by an experienced and caring staff. The Library is generously supported, both financially and programmatically, by the Friends of the Bronxville Public Library. BPL was recently named a “Star Library” by Library Journal. For more information regarding the Library, the Village of Bronxville and the Friends of the Bronxville Public Library, please visit <a href="http://www.bronxvillelibrary.org/" target="_blank">http://www.bronxvillelibrary.org</a> and <a href="http://www.villageofbronxville.org/" target="_blank">http://www.villageofbronxville.org</a>. Required Experience: Top candidates must have experience in budget development, human resources, and management of building projects. Candidates should also have a record of working with unions, implementing new technologies, and securing grants and other funding. Other important qualities include positive leadership style with strong communication skills; exceptional follow-through and attention to detail on projects; the ability to work collaboratively with Board, staff, elected officials and community groups; and a vision for providing excellent library services in a rapidly evolving landscape. The Library Director II position requires a Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited institution, a NYS Public Librarian’s Professional Certificate and at least 4 years of professional-level experience, including 1 year in a supervisory role. This is a civil service title and the candidate selected will be subject to an open, competitive training and experience evaluation exam at a later date, in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law. (For details, see <a href="http://www.westchestergov.com/hr/jobspecs/ljs/local/L/LIBRARYDIRECTORII.pdf" target="_blank">www.westchestergov.com/hr/jobspecs/ljs/local/L/LIBRARYDIRECTORII.pdf</a>) Compensation: Starting salary range is $80,000-$95,000, with a competitive benefits package. To apply, please send a cover letter and current resume to Bronxville Public Library, Attn: Mary Mackintosh, 201 Pondfield Road, Bronxville, NY 10708 or preferably by email to <a href="mailto:Bronxvilledirectorsearch@gmail.com">Bronxvilledirectorsearch@gmail.com</a> by <span style="color: red;">March 30, 2012</span>.

Library Director - Bronxville (NY) Public Library

Library Director - Bronxville Public Library . The Board of Trustees of the Bronxville (NY) Public Library is seeking an experienced, ene...

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Why not install and use Tweetdeck for Twitter group chats?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last Monday night from 8:30pm – 9:30pm one of our s<i>ocial media in education</i> activitists in South Africa, Arthur Preston, Head at Elkanah House Primary School in Cape Town, introduced a Twitter chat for South African teachers on the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">#edchatsa</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> hashtag. It was a wonderfully stimulating chat with many teachers from around the country participating. Teachers only got to know about it via Twitter and had a great chat about the topic, “If there was one piece of technology that could change South African education what would it be?”  You can log in to Arthur Prestons's blog </span><a href="http://headthoughts.co.za/edchatsa/" style="font-family: inherit;" title="http://headthoughts.co.za/edchatsa/">http://headthoughts.co.za/edchatsa/</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to vote for the topic for this coming Monday night. Here is the list of topics:</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQVt1Fa57puZHWAheTairevdNhpeS_GXBa8MCBbK3oLATz3XLp2Lb886TRCVgC19yMa9CK-6ptgm8qhWoIwMPvmm2i29pjOS6CcglOP6MZmLXiZck8oZwHn69AeVb-oGfN1vGjB2m7h4/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuRCE7gvnP86ZflxaG7Rcf7ew2_ZAZspDewp8gEfXIex9COdzL6UutN3JazDX3ixCuIRqkbN5GDXfNE1Ys8SjovoRgtriEmwFG4qz42VP4ON0yoKdRF5nQamqZleMSqrrU2kSizVVJ5Y/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">To be able to participate properly in this type of Twitter chat one needs to use an application like Tweetdeck where you can see a number of columns of Twitter at the same time. So this post is about Tweetdeck. It is a fantastic application to use. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is a view of my Tweetdeck interface. This illustrates the columns.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Xpp3Xk3_SRlqrOg8IpsWPfSpmm5sgTHkX0GCcqmJciVA88RjBvIVToE6fNS6mg5BND8kEnatC3F2oGJ0Sk9f2agmSOMfKtdG0DB-uDzJoSyg7nktk4iqnaRD3ffCJv0n0M-N6XtvDwg/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oSJF9NvX5OXPn3ywCFylNrhez_OglFKHkpideMo-9v7BcfHX6NUvHpRr7YHDNSuuII8_YBAHhgbTJmpNjsY2H15VM9R0K-9MqAaOCRTZQXjn5woCRyGiwwsC0D2ujLewN6G14BJ4VzY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Getting started</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Search for Tweetdeck on the Internet and download the free application to your desktop (<a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/">http://www.tweetdeck.com/</a>). It will ask you to set up a Tweetdeck account. One can use the same username and password as one’s Twitter account to simplify matters. Once installed, Tweetdeck looks like you see above arranged in columns. You can now add as many columns as you like. </span> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The columns</span></b> <br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The columns work like this.<br />a) On the very left is your <b>Home</b> section where you receive the tweets of all the people you are following. This is the same as your timeline in Twitter. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3k7f7cYnYOb99FQZKSs0OCgUk_HPm3DulvHIMOd28pJpncbnyksGbC2giT-7r6sBbmthMa8bJxmaI9mAYgAtD6TYMrWyeWfALPLBUnc6DO0i-_YSWcpZsdVh0xclhwAEj_bo-DfFm-s/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jqMD41Ee1PQcoMGuzU7xZaW-2KtUUQ0E_f31cdbUdQK1On03TMOdLYBHNbFw-DffWZSk21QJFOXvIkF4FiJhGWnJ8283PrdxzWmVeE-K80JxagdtDNM2ErSQ4wSxyLLv4ROH4Q-iLok/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> b) Next to that you will get your<b> Mentions</b> column where you are notified if anyone retweets one of your tweets or sends you a message.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvTOruHuMroRBWUDVBU7_ONER9RSS74ms_1j3EfVuu28dMFAKJe_LUjdP29J_IzHWfhHBnNUCpazpTcoLGJmyvrGaHIFgqV4-ZIpohgOwbWGIL_6DwyLkSGscZ232tdZO2tymya0ZWhU/s1600-h/image%25255B17%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2Y7vxWMpFD1GDUySYumCv6k26QPWPXWdivDPRaXDbFQQkJta7TIsowFQ2adclTfSuhYc6V5hE2bNzA9n1oRPvaIPOmALZ5XVmQDEsaUd5HxW2x03uODGhyf_M6epx2qSa2-sn0OYiVk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">c)  Next is your </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Inbox</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> which shows the tweets or direct messages you have just sent to others. In fact this default column (Inbox) could be called the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Direct Messages </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">column since it records the direct messages that you send or receive. These do not show up in your </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">All Friends/Home</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> column because they are to or from you personally.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxjw7EJBJigDW2Fuul7oKEOa-CNPZowVo1tvEoP16ITsUt3-brZSpRUAIHcQmWZlINze1WkWgAs6dwYDnIWNw4QuSqoe-6hJXw3Ksezbv5mKRbvogz-Vo9mtaFJIccJIy98wTWymM4PE/s1600-h/image%25255B20%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2e5KlXYZBsMc6IZAPCp7Ki8LWYGKEfU6S-dtTVO4bSlafXlxkkhy3kIejfdbQPh-aPp7ru0p8njOUe4sHR5FXEnQEwO69pkwniY-p_3Xgf17Ed3FmbdYBO79AQen3UeAG0p-RQ1Zq6E/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">d) After that you can add your favourite # columns. I have <i>#edchatsa</i>, <i>#edtechconf,</i>  <i>#SAipaded</i>,  <i>#ict4champions</i> and <i>#sateachers</i>. That reminds me to mention that your Tweetdeck interface shows five columns but at the top is a little icon – it's a horizontal scrollbar - where you move across to the next lot of columns. I guess you can have as many columns as you like, with five displaying at a time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIXDQIUYb2RK3rVNtz09pP6DQqCiDvnLrIxVbFzUrkN8Bx8K_N5LgN6DmwEkKGYFwThvzfTJEV29a5wL7ko-mFEsDZOHbTex5Ib2wGHaaG0KBf0FsA_q7X8OGldTJLsMDw2qBjPy4fgM/s1600-h/image%25255B23%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6y_tSYgorcyxaU0qxYR0Du8DEQz2i8ewfHvgb2wvF_SYv2VTW4hoEL60DJb7irgVCL3qMopMn8EV1QrPM-I_B8OOERPyMJJIQBqP6yEHU-a5a8oiXmzmylnDtR3QI0c4F9Kb0JNliS0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">To add a column click on the <i>Add column</i> button and write in your choice of <i># hashtag</i>.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNeZn7Drha7_JKHr1kTzNpN-SPXwvTuoP9yUv0QnGDqaGJpIKgv4mNNVbOYRtKwOuuuWShrQoWIn8_-VYgF4OFV-8An7wEaqu77OwAn_v48OCZFmzfiQMcfNUQXL8cy-GzL3_dImgr48/s1600-h/image%25255B26%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="44" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx6SCHpqPgMaR-Uun3Osw4T96XG8vNIaa5VqUNjOI-g_n87kICgoetbOtk_nnM6GHzJlB8xAL27CK7cePMLa-imZ4QQqYI62CKTSgAtHTkLfdRwkqUpd76NQzuSREGRLfA9a2msCQfQY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can move the columns around</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">To move a column just check on the little wheel on the top right of each column and a box comes up giving you the arrows to move the column left or right.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7OUSKYDgERzFPJFgH__3SeAIYIyaH1RIIso65rAy05k21YZ9QHo4hnXWR30Pupj99UIiIwcF8hW1i4cKtKpBDhi1g0ZpoHBThJUr8sO-2COqURjlTj72LRP8GryhAN5sp7ygAjYNsNk/s1600-h/image%25255B29%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZxvVw5qckKi368Bz12w4WfmQ858y4Yr7tKG4OKh-3Xc_beL2UfROBnUy3RzXgV5b42AfjoM8_Pa5FQnC-D-vX7SEJVcmyIZU6n-viOAv9hjRelzKvitxDSn_eNUZJ9oN7R0Yp0x6AVM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the purposes of the <i>#edchatsa </i>on a Monday night I have moved my <i>#edchatsa</i> column right next to my <b>Mentions</b> columns so that I can write easily and receive any @fibeal messages.</span> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">How to create and send a message</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">To create a message click on the little blue pen icon on the top of the interface.</span> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1y4mZqSErWW6VcgAb_HSMpB-9WNrFZ6GRSly_bRctuWTdtuhf9ffNkYBS5Xjjd5E1mrQSrTwM3fdmNJvSpUcPAxajKN9Zitr7JAb8pNsWQweDz41YD_-0LcogTOD_f-ESPYwtTeviVQ/s1600-h/image%25255B32%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="42" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsk16JNRQ99KktHCfMVyU8S-GCWmn8rAQzFs8jqBaOGb3f-XOegvG7tM-lMdOSpRs2uUN7sVojx-fotKpj__Zw_Zk3TrzPA34qazELPTk8Mgqos8b8V955W6EZoR61AbCzUXigd-M0tg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This will open the box to write and send your messages. When the writing box opens write your message making sure it doesn’t exceed 140 characters, and press </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Tweet.</i><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLW7MM7sY9wOCcOC3E4wJR0_IoEmtgvfAp0qlz91DmGB0mOq7L0ZHKnJIyAYGF6haJIV4pe8as6Gu3Xu6Uq3V91kJpSuvttFReBt77UHXQQUomR13j0HZssjYzVmk9M3LrtVRhyFCUWg/s1600-h/image%25255B35%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-tHdWiOVH0hM7l8VeNQShMJid86fZbkWdjomp_23tCeoI5-Tb_UgNcmJfXJgS8I3bUVpNxKLyDpgS0_-987a6oDgUOsj9HNKfvew7vc9ngmkNJQ2V2mbJK_N-nHCK4iJNBbc68gFc8I/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">How to send a direct message to someone</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hover your mouse over the avatar of the person and the word <i>More</i> will appear on the top right.  click on More and it will take you to another icon with a little dropdown arrow. Click on that and a box will open that says “<i>Send a direct message</i>”.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NCbgPW_LbbRBb3Gjq0iSCT9Km4hP9eAuFNhio48WGbjS6rDiQoml0MCHiwD0eLbbRRFp2SHHpkaRPEnd93WrD3CQY9TBfZR_I2gzksnk6mFHYNeONOn9r6LEGqdAXWY0oY7q8V2Jzrw/s1600-h/image%25255B38%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtJv6JGvv0r-JUU9VnrJQzkPlXtgg7S3aMcvYTSila-91fywFmTDaRZjLSo_fjPRSH6gZK_l93_50eiF_4Loh8NasQ_Psm1DLGOAeDC4cQqejeBLSfWnY7C7MTv9uUs1C8RFIcdzrvgA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">How to reply or retweet</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hover your mouse over the avatar of the person and a bar comes up containing an arrow, a group of arrows a star and the word <i>more</i>. The single arrow is for <i>Reply</i> and the group of arrows is for <i>Retweet</i>. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, why not give Tweetdeck a try?</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>

Collaboration Tutorials Twitter Website reviews Why not install and use Tweetdeck for Twitter group chats?

Last Monday night from 8:30pm – 9:30pm one of our s ocial media in education activitists in South Africa, Arthur Preston, Head at Elkanah H...

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The Feminine Mystique Of Mad Men

<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">by guest contributor Whistlingypsy</span></i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipo4m0UtBQ_JIet69dWnHze_kb8GeDtaaIASqKw5JJFcHZtir1vo26yDpTbupG-3PkZROuwAqfmB4sJHppcZ51v6HVeKKtui5vp96b4_Mm8CLu_0M2gg4dEQEqTXbbntOlYwK2F84a9bI/s1600/1aAMM1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipo4m0UtBQ_JIet69dWnHze_kb8GeDtaaIASqKw5JJFcHZtir1vo26yDpTbupG-3PkZROuwAqfmB4sJHppcZ51v6HVeKKtui5vp96b4_Mm8CLu_0M2gg4dEQEqTXbbntOlYwK2F84a9bI/s550/1aAMM1.jpg" width="550" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">“<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now I am quietly waiting for the catastrophe of my personality to seem beautiful again, and interesting, and modern.”<br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> - Frank O'Hara, <i>Meditations in an Emergency</i></span></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Although the title might suggest the notion; this is not a discussion of feminism in <i>Mad Men</i>’s very male dominated industry. The inspiration is, in part, taken from the photograph above: a provocative portrayal of beautiful women and men perfectly accessorized and stylishly coiffed. The division of these individuals into feminine and masculine, light and dark, personal and professional, implies not only different natures and different worlds but a separate mystique.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2Di9TKdiT2X1eDkLfH_ekWfdlJMo6mMQ_a8djLhFmC2XS-v10f31McyXUWQhPfxue9oFW4UUA0q7yKGr2zSmcDVCjhqz6hldz1JbDxg9Caa0OGd6ynDCkUFJW95vFW7JayHW8Vmu7_0/s1600/1aAMM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2Di9TKdiT2X1eDkLfH_ekWfdlJMo6mMQ_a8djLhFmC2XS-v10f31McyXUWQhPfxue9oFW4UUA0q7yKGr2zSmcDVCjhqz6hldz1JbDxg9Caa0OGd6ynDCkUFJW95vFW7JayHW8Vmu7_0/s200/1aAMM2.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Mad Men</i> artfully dramatizes the many ways female identity can wiggle and re-shape in even the narrowest spaces, from captivating leading ladies to intriguing supporting characters. The show has explored some popularly held notions of femininity, some of which were already ossified by the 1960s, by placing these notions within the context of an advertising campaign. When Paul Kinsey proposed his "new concept" for the Playtex account in "Maidenform," (S2, E6), "All women want to be Jackie Kennedy or Marilyn Monroe", he wasn't referring to their conservative or liberal politics. He was putting a mid-century spin on the old Freudian concept of "the chaste versus the loose" woman. The return of the show for season five is a great opportunity to look back, and in the words of advertising man Leo Burnett, see “the inherent drama of everyday life” through the eyes of Peggy, Joan and Betty, <i>Mad Men</i>'s powerful feminine mystique.</div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ENn0oRXHcrLda8f4OfvynuK2fkYOMI7nIeDFJRsUOPb0NMFf2EAetb3i4tEMz66gHvF6kD8_kIs_BSuaPLkPcbkfc_pA6j8-vHy2MGobUluALHbYpSo9_xHDfOg7eudHN90oLJw_7ec/s1600/1aAMM3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ENn0oRXHcrLda8f4OfvynuK2fkYOMI7nIeDFJRsUOPb0NMFf2EAetb3i4tEMz66gHvF6kD8_kIs_BSuaPLkPcbkfc_pA6j8-vHy2MGobUluALHbYpSo9_xHDfOg7eudHN90oLJw_7ec/s200/1aAMM3.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be unforgettable,<br />disarming and sensational<br />in MYSTRECE by Hanes.</td></tr></tbody></table>T<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">he quote at the top of the page was introduced in the storyline of </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Flight"</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> (S2, E1) and in this context seems to be a wholly masculine concern, but there is no reason why a woman wouldn't want her personality to seem "beautiful, interesting and modern". In 1963, Betty Friedan published her groundbreaking work on the nature of the female, titled </span><u><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Feminine Mystique</span></u><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, which I will attempt to highlight: her goal was to dispel the notion that women were not only best suited but exclusively suited to the role of wife and mother, an instinctive role portrayed in terms worthy of a mythical character: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>the feminine mystique</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">. She frankly addressed the false notion that a woman's suppression of her natural role, sublimated by a desire for an education and/or a career, would lead to grave discontentment. Her premise would have taken issue with Ann Margaret singing "</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How Lovely To Be A Woman</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">" and Nancy Kwan singing </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Enjoy Being A Girl</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">." Why? Despite these songs celebrating the woman of the late Eisenhower era, with humor and irony, Friedan would have claimed each woman’s cause for celebration is too dependent on a phone call from a man, and implies all the trappings of femininity is meant to help catch a husband.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDmcjZCBuw49IUC5Fc96KhmaVdbyLB2KgdW41y-JyCLDisGif5nlFEAwgmS9shyF_LuUL97DEMmFyFUF3grElShy27gOOEdrFVbTWz3TtLDkIL-uksOn85j4RDNEpVafPGaQ2vsLgzuU/s1600/1aAMM4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDmcjZCBuw49IUC5Fc96KhmaVdbyLB2KgdW41y-JyCLDisGif5nlFEAwgmS9shyF_LuUL97DEMmFyFUF3grElShy27gOOEdrFVbTWz3TtLDkIL-uksOn85j4RDNEpVafPGaQ2vsLgzuU/s200/1aAMM4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Appointment to<br />Her Majesty,<br />Mrs. Homemaker.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Friedan also appraised the advertising industry from the perspective of inducing women to believe each new product was necessary to her role in <i>the feminine mystique</i>. The adage “a housewife's work is never done”, was behind the notion that so long as a woman is busy, she will never question her role as wife, mother and consumer of household goods. The development of a range of cleaning products and household items was intended to keep women busy (and presumably content) Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset. This could certainly be interpreted as a woman's guide to elementary Freud with a <i>proto-feminist </i>spin, in Friedan’s defense, we know this is partly true. However, the book has been criticized, after the passage of fifty years, for a limited view of women’s choices and for the research’s exclusion of women of color and a narrow focus of sexual orientation. It would be foolish to assume American women had <i>no</i> options fifty years ago, each life was as different as the woman who would tell the story.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsMXKRENQp4XcZHGMNdqNuTYc9CxOxSGHZZtVMb6x4l5MPRrpdm19wuhgyggWzzR7MBXA202ozukNYGlLBgz69gF12x2il7_g3sv0e9qcmLjw7Z2ylRMprFYLfOiyRueJJzs5kaNzmCkk/s1600/1aAMM5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsMXKRENQp4XcZHGMNdqNuTYc9CxOxSGHZZtVMb6x4l5MPRrpdm19wuhgyggWzzR7MBXA202ozukNYGlLBgz69gF12x2il7_g3sv0e9qcmLjw7Z2ylRMprFYLfOiyRueJJzs5kaNzmCkk/s600/1aAMM5.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“I’m Peggy Olson, and I want to smoke marijuana,” Sterling Cooper’s only female copywriter informs her male colleagues in "My Old Kentucky Home," (S3, E3). A young woman who knows her mind, she later tells her secretary, in response to a comment informing her actions have consequences, “Don’t worry about me. I am going to get to do everything you want for me”. The question is why Peggy doesn’t tell her, “I am going to get to do everything I want,” perhaps she isn’t so certain after all. Peggy has a steep learning curve her first day on the job at Sterling Cooper advertising agency.</div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1Gh9lMAFVE1yP5jrXeGKnGTnMbJZz823e-fB20T7G1-4d7uTTlsEibdWxt_F_ZODUBhin_2e2PAAU5oO_JnqKQewQxkfkM-D_V_VjE0V52HB1InXPZqnkJlSZsgC1vx625mq62PKq-k/s1600/1aAMM6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1Gh9lMAFVE1yP5jrXeGKnGTnMbJZz823e-fB20T7G1-4d7uTTlsEibdWxt_F_ZODUBhin_2e2PAAU5oO_JnqKQewQxkfkM-D_V_VjE0V52HB1InXPZqnkJlSZsgC1vx625mq62PKq-k/s200/1aAMM6.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A promotional tie-in:<br />Underwood Red nail polish<br />& Underwood 150 typewriter.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Her secretarial school training would have prepared her to take and translate shorthand, type and make carbon copies, but unlikely to have equipped her for the intrigues and romantic values of a mid-century Manhattan advertising office. The agency's office manager, Joan Holloway, implies she is Peggy's senior in all the subjects that matter and happy to advise her as she begins her new life. Peggy goes decidedly "off lesson plan"and her innovations result in a heartbreaking scene in "The Wheel," (S1, E13) when she turns away from her newborn child. Peggy's entry into the world of copy writing is made possible not solely based on a clever turn of phrase when she hands Freddie Rumsen a "basket of kisses". He recognizes her ability to create "word images", a skill he is certain will be invaluable in persuading female consumers to buy an entire line of similar products. When her talent is not enough to persuade her male co-workers to take her seriously, and they fail to include her in an important meeting, she arrives at the bar where they have taken the client dressed to accentuate her advantage over her male colleagues. In response to her question regarding her bad luck with men in "The Jet Set," (S2, E11), Kurt, Sterling Cooper's freelance artist, tells her "you are old style" and offers to give her a new hairstyle.</div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgeb4uXRyDZeLVzHbaF703jFQt10WdfNWURcUo9VRGjrBdLHEtzVcxjBZpD4tcfqlIE9LrYx3ybcuQNPUnCJa1i810gh75ujby1VVcTGOwKJa4UL6RJaeGS4Ja_YPU5IPVv69SM_u4m8/s1600/1aAMM7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgeb4uXRyDZeLVzHbaF703jFQt10WdfNWURcUo9VRGjrBdLHEtzVcxjBZpD4tcfqlIE9LrYx3ybcuQNPUnCJa1i810gh75ujby1VVcTGOwKJa4UL6RJaeGS4Ja_YPU5IPVv69SM_u4m8/s200/1aAMM7.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discover the Swinging<br />World of Yamaha</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Peggy struggles with the dichotomy of needing to be taken seriously as a woman in a male dominated industry, and she stumbles through attempts to be one of the boys while becoming one of the girls. Although her integrity will not allow her to trade on her sexuality to get ahead, she is not without contradiction and she breaks personal and professional taboos when she begins an affair with Herman "Duck" Phillips. The pressure of these conflicting desires finds an object in the person of Don Draper, a man Peggy has reason to respect and trust. She expresses her reserved anger and disappointment in "The Suitcase" (S4, E7), when she accuses him of stealing her idea for the Glo-Coat campaign. She also wonders, with the parade of women in Don's life, why not her? She doesn't harbor a secret wish to spend time in Don's bed, she has accepted the truth behind the image. Peggy does want reassurance that her desire for recognition and her need to be desirable aren't mutually exclusive, and she confides, "I know what I'm supposed to want," she says, "but it just never feels right, or as important as anything in that office."</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmN0zq9hPsYLNBIPUHsYhjwpXbwoc0Vi0H_exuo-vIpBXDjuDeSKxq3WJbgk6LCZgNBO5lxVxjBCxhc8mZS9o9EWPNANuNIGiCE7gJzfGSjajp803d9vKrBvxBGmwMUgaOUs2WcXT1Csg/s1600/1aAMM8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmN0zq9hPsYLNBIPUHsYhjwpXbwoc0Vi0H_exuo-vIpBXDjuDeSKxq3WJbgk6LCZgNBO5lxVxjBCxhc8mZS9o9EWPNANuNIGiCE7gJzfGSjajp803d9vKrBvxBGmwMUgaOUs2WcXT1Csg/s600/1aAMM8.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>“<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If this were me I would say something like ‘fun loving girl, responsible sometimes, likes to laugh, lives to love, seeks size six for city living and general gallivanting. No dull moments or dull men tolerated.’ or something like that!” Joan (Holloway) Harris, Office Manager at Sterling Cooper advertising agency comments on Peggy Olson’s notice for a roommate in </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"The Arrangements"</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> (S3, E4). Joan is a competent and confident woman; she can cook and she's a good hostess; she can play the accordion and sing in French, if necessary. She makes no secret of her taste for the finer things in life, and she is certain she'll get everything she wants. </span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpao9_2OKcP_ZcOATCXtaxUZShMQXOfV33v3CP0hC-8qq6g_KWyWj0-W0IEHmvPsArDq6npqh_uXxWlDQCAKROt2KJ_8JwiEk8xkoqVAWsPKFWH58LYvg6BPCZhi8fP2H8Yrr2_MJDx4/s1600/1aAMM11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpao9_2OKcP_ZcOATCXtaxUZShMQXOfV33v3CP0hC-8qq6g_KWyWj0-W0IEHmvPsArDq6npqh_uXxWlDQCAKROt2KJ_8JwiEk8xkoqVAWsPKFWH58LYvg6BPCZhi8fP2H8Yrr2_MJDx4/s200/1aAMM11.jpg" width="157" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pardon Us While We Slip Into<br />Something Comfortable!<br />The 1963 Dodge gives women options.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The trouble is, she has been married to a young surgical resident for a year, and she seems as discontented with married life as she had become with her life as a single woman. Joan’s voluptuous feminine allure appears to mask something darker, sometimes merciless, which often shows through the cracks of her well-coiffed, couture-clad exterior. Joan is in the midst of a year-long affair with Sterling Cooper partner Roger Sterling in "Long Weekend" (S1, E10) when he tells her he is free to spend the weekend with her. Joan is far from the "fun loving girl" Roger expected when she refers to <i>The Apartment</i> and describes a female character as being “handed around to the office men like a tray of canapés”. Joan later reveals to Roger in "Six Month Leave" (S2, E9) a vulnerability he seems unable, or unwilling, to accept. He sees the death of Marilyn Monroe as inevitable, a movie star who had everything and threw it away. Joan sees herself in Marilyn, a beautiful, sensual and vulnerable woman who, after "this world destroyed her," was destined to die alone. Joan has begun to consider the truth of being a self-aware and sexually liberated woman, much like a courtesan of an earlier era it comes with built in limitations and an equally bleak future. </div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5SYQpfUVHqszCsD47Oq2IPCAXd7ApaiaB1D-bnQGP2y_tIf2SNgQhg_qZuDtn7IjjtWvWEVg8B34Iya5LJfgPg_bz_atb41eXWgZ-C9cuaYSoIDUEsJ1irVh5jd3bEcq1q97ZhyoACg/s1600/1aAMM12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5SYQpfUVHqszCsD47Oq2IPCAXd7ApaiaB1D-bnQGP2y_tIf2SNgQhg_qZuDtn7IjjtWvWEVg8B34Iya5LJfgPg_bz_atb41eXWgZ-C9cuaYSoIDUEsJ1irVh5jd3bEcq1q97ZhyoACg/s200/1aAMM12.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's busy...<br />yet she's beautiful...<br />she uses Pond's.<br />Pond's makes a woman<br />alluring and competent.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Joan doesn’t tolerate others defining her life or her personality, and she has an even lower threshold for whiners. When Joan asks Lane Pryce for time off to spend with her husband in "The Good News" (S4, E3), Lane alludes to her willingness to use her sexuality to get whatever she wants, "I understand that all men are dizzy and powerless to refuse you", and he adds, "Don't go and cry about it". Joan later expresses a frustration that Peggy Olson knows only too well when she throws a bouquet at Lane and tells him, he consistently makes her "feel like a helpless, stupid little girl." When her husband returns defeated after doing poorly on an interview in "The Gypsy and the Hobo" (S3, E11), Joan is so enraged by his comment that she has never known what it is "to want something your whole life" and not get it, she picks up a vase and breaks it over his head. She might feel a crack on the head is the least he deserves, after he raped her at Sterling Cooper and she quit a job in which she had made herself indispensable. She might feel his failure to notice she wants so much more from her life is typical of him; he had told her earlier she should "be home eating bonbons and watching television, not reading scripts". However, her act of rage is made all the more inexplicable in "The Summer Man" (S4, E8) when she arrives home as her husband is about to leave for basic training. "Who am I going to talk to?" she asks him and breaks down in tears when he mentions her friends at work. Her overwhelming sense of isolation could lead her deeper into a cruel deception.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYhNlhyphenhyphenMXBmM9rfJWnAYHEdQlRHH-CwGeZBwREjWYerZv37r1lPc1vWKnGEgsG9mT0LR-56wZ2aLc4eZv4wPlpIu86cJApV9QL8Vk2vQDJgz8Sq7uiDknpPxMcSSaUUjOZ3UAVHqv3RyG/s1600/1aAMM13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYhNlhyphenhyphenMXBmM9rfJWnAYHEdQlRHH-CwGeZBwREjWYerZv37r1lPc1vWKnGEgsG9mT0LR-56wZ2aLc4eZv4wPlpIu86cJApV9QL8Vk2vQDJgz8Sq7uiDknpPxMcSSaUUjOZ3UAVHqv3RyG/s600/1aAMM13.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“I hate this place, I hate our friends, I hate this town,” Betty Draper informs her husband in "Souvenir"<b> </b>(S3, E8) after an idyllic trip to Rome. Why is Betty Draper so miserable? She lives a charmed life as the wife of Sterling Cooper’s most promising advertising executive. She had an affluent childhood; attended Bryn Mawr; where she majored in anthropology; she had a brief career as a model; she is well-read and speaks fluent Italian. She lives comfortably in a beautiful upstate suburb, where she is a housewife raising three young children.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lQN8kjZZXLGsX11nXuS8zJJ6xxgLZaVcPQKKd0Dlcn7CuYl62JoXzAfgBpJ4SJIZ2OENIpqGmm1DHcxBb8GvGO6feUt0Zdw0YI-ysUImGe24sHBWx7E7xvn8Vi4OFYSUyk91CHB7BL8/s1600/1aAMM14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lQN8kjZZXLGsX11nXuS8zJJ6xxgLZaVcPQKKd0Dlcn7CuYl62JoXzAfgBpJ4SJIZ2OENIpqGmm1DHcxBb8GvGO6feUt0Zdw0YI-ysUImGe24sHBWx7E7xvn8Vi4OFYSUyk91CHB7BL8/s200/1aAMM14.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be Bright! Be Light! Have a Pepsi!<br />Modern girls neither <br />sacrifice pleasure nor<br />compromise their figures.</td></tr></tbody></table>Betty Draper is also, much like Joan Holloway, a good hostess: she knows how to dress well and set a good table. Her misery is abated with cigarettes and cocktails, horseback riding, European vacations, a glamorous wardrobe, and occasional target practice with a neighbor's pigeons. Why, then, is she fast becoming the inspiration for “Mother’s Little Helper” with her own fainting couch? Betty spends time in therapy, after exhibiting “unexplained emotional episodes,” which could be further compounded when her husband echoes her doctor’s assessment in "Red in the Face" (S1, E7), “Sometimes I feel like I'm living with a little girl." Betty could be living her life with unrealized aspirations, in a mistaken sense of loyalty to her mother, whose standards continue to haunt her. Her relationship with her husband perpetuates the parent/child dynamic. He scolds her for allowing a salesman into the home, he criticizes her bathing suit for looking desperate, and uses her as a test subject for a ad campaign. Perhaps Betty finds a few answers in her choice of reading material, <u>The Group</u> by Mary McCarthy. The novel explores many themes, including the notion of whether higher education makes women unsuitable as wives and mothers and the use of mental illness by husbands to control ambitious and intelligent wives.</div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5yjeR3u7-ke7bOLAH0aymXusrdruCQjE8zgcfjrIsUtagAZHrty0L8rorMxpzw8OoXvnSVg-y7jkanMbLKlRaNwc-De8fixlhsC3GUKYH2LixMGMaZorJji8kDPDfODRbCgkgn_17Ko/s1600/1aAMM15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5yjeR3u7-ke7bOLAH0aymXusrdruCQjE8zgcfjrIsUtagAZHrty0L8rorMxpzw8OoXvnSVg-y7jkanMbLKlRaNwc-De8fixlhsC3GUKYH2LixMGMaZorJji8kDPDfODRbCgkgn_17Ko/s200/1aAMM15.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr><tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Spring, The blues<br />Are The News for Eyes!<br />and for Little Girl Blues.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Betty confides to her therapist in "The Wheel" (S1, E13) in her first truly honest moment "I can't help but think that I'd be happy if my husband was faithful to me”. A particularly messy exposure regarding her husband’s infidelity with the wife of a comic, finally forces Betty to face the harsh reality regarding her marriage. Betty tells Helen, her divorced neighbor, in "The Inheritance"<b> </b>(S2, E10) that Don has moved out of the house. She is undecided about the future of the marriage and responds, "Sometimes I think I'll float away if Don isn't holding me down." Her divorce from Don Draper, when she learns the truth of her husband’s past, and her remarriage to Henry Francis, does nothing to alleviate her feelings of insecurity. Although she made no secret of her contempt for all things Ossining, she lives in the same house with her new husband that she once shared with Don. She has never been a bad parent, perhaps a little disengaged, but she is becoming increasingly irrational with Sally and Bobby. Henry's mother observes the children during a particularly stressful Thanksgiving in "Public Relations" (S4, E1) and tells her son "They are terrified of her". Betty responds in "Tomorrowland" (S4, Ep13) when Henry asks her why she fired Carla "I want a fresh start". However, she appears overwhelmed by the prospect of leaving her old life behind and lies down on Sally's unmade bed. </div><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This post is dedicated to Sterling, Cooper Draper and Pryce's most senior member of staff, Ida Blankenship: she was conscientious and loyal to the bitter end.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">~ </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Guest contributor Whistlingypsy's blog is <a href="http://distant-voicesandflickering-shadows.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Distant Voices and Flickering Shadows</span></a>. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div>

Mad Men Whistlingypsy (author) The Feminine Mystique Of Mad Men

by guest contributor Whistlingypsy “ Now I am quietly waiting for the catastrophe of my personality to seem beautiful again, and interesting...

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GOLDMAN SACHS

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV8bRE1hyphenhyphenN3tk2Ir1Ei7W62smFtf6p7EVWWFhF5SQH0by2_KL5iU-tnYLlKauJEVW5_ovbxntf4ZWHAiY3kuHyv-j-gHhHPdA-YQthRGneOuyqVbiZSvd3QeeKx9lUknqYb94aH62UANO/s1600/goldman-sachs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV8bRE1hyphenhyphenN3tk2Ir1Ei7W62smFtf6p7EVWWFhF5SQH0by2_KL5iU-tnYLlKauJEVW5_ovbxntf4ZWHAiY3kuHyv-j-gHhHPdA-YQthRGneOuyqVbiZSvd3QeeKx9lUknqYb94aH62UANO/s640/goldman-sachs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Griechenland: Geheimer Deal mit Goldman Sachs löste Euro-Krise aus </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Via Deutsche-Mittelstands-Nachrichten</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="DE-AT">Für die Investmentbanken sind die Politiker die besten Kunden: Sie brauchen immer Geld und verstehen nichts vom Geschäft. So werden am Vorabend des griechischen Schuldenschnitts neue Details bekannt, wie Goldman Sachs den Griechen half, die EU zu betrügen. Für Goldman war es ein extrem profitables Geschäft. Für die Euro-Zone war es das Initialereignis für die größte Krise ihrer Geschichte.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Im Jahr 2001 befand sich Griechenland in der misslichen Lage, ein für den Euro-Beitritt zu hohes Defizit aufzuweisen. Daher beauftragte die griechischen Regierung die Investmentbank Goldman Sachs, das Problem zu lösen. Goldman bot den Griechen eine 2,8 Milliarden Euro-Finanzierung an. Diese würde es der griechischen Regierung ermöglichen, die Maastricht-Kriterien der Europäischen Union zu erfüllen: Weil die Schulden aus dem Haushalt herausgerechnet werden konnten, würde Griechenland als hoffnungsvolles neues Euro-Mitglied begrüßt werden.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So kam es denn auch. Doch während der EU-Beitritt Griechenlands aufgrund der Verschleierungs-Aktion reibungslos verlief, geriet das griechische Defizit weiter außer Kontrolle. Dass Europa via Griechenland an den Rand des Abgrund geriet, ist im Grund auf die Kreativität der Investmentbank Goldman Sachs zurückzuführen, die in der kriminellen Energie der griechischen Regierung die Chance zu einem guten Geschäft erkannte. Goldman strukturierte den Deal mit den Griechen nämlich nicht einfach als normalen Kredit mit normalen Zinsen, sondern in Form eines komplizierten Derivate-Swaps – einem jener hochspekulativen Geschäfte, dessen Charme unter anderem die beschauliche Stadt Pforzheim unterlegen war (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2012/03/39261/" title="Wie die Stadt Pforzheim von JP Morgan für dumm verkauft wurde"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr hier</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Heute sagen die griechischen Politiker, sie hätten nicht verstanden, worum es ging.<br />Sie beklagen, dass Goldman auf einer Geheimhaltungsklausel bestanden habe. Daher sei es ihnen nicht möglich gewesen, sich am Markt zu erkundigen, um welche Art von Geschäft es sich gehandelt habe. Der Chef der staatlichen griechischen Schuldenagentur, Spyros Papanicolaou, sagte dem Nachrichtendienst Bloomberg, dass Goldman den Griechen gedroht hätte: „Wenn ihr irgendjemand von den Konditionen erzählt, ist der Deal abgeblasen.“</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Goldman gelang es tatsächlich, mithilfe komplizierter Währungsgeschäfte die Staatsschulden Griechenlands um zwei Prozent senken: Die Banker tauschten griechische Staatsanleihen erst in Dollar, dann in Yen um. Dies geschah zu veralteten und teilweise fiktiven Wechselkursen. Es geschah außerhalb des normalen griechischen Haushalts, weshalb es keinerlei Transparenz nach Brüssel gab.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Wie ein griechischer Beamter Bloomberg bestätigte, waren nicht nur die Zinsen fiktiv. Goldman verwendete für diese Transaktionen die fiktive Summe von 15 Milliarden Euro – ein Vielfaches mehr, als der eigentliche Kredit ausmachte. Dadurch stiegen die Chancen, aber auch das Risiko der Transaktion. Vor allem aber stiegen die Gebühren, die Griechenland an Goldman zu zahlen hatte.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Als der Auftrag vier Jahre später umgeschuldet wurde, war der Deal vollständig aus dem Ruder gelaufen. Um die ursprünglich 2,8 Milliarden Euro zurückzahlen zu können, hatte Griechenland nämliche eine Wette abgeschlossen – und zwar auf steigende Zinsen. Doch nach den Terroranschlägen am 11.September 2001 fielen die Zinsen, und die Schulden Griechenlands stiegen mit dem Refinanzierungsmodell gewaltig an. Um das Problem in den Griff zu bekommen, folgte Griechenland dem Rat von Goldman und startete eine neue Wette: Diese war nun an die Inflation in der Eurozone gekoppelt war. Doch auch diese Lösung entwickelte sich zum Rohrkrepierer. Denn leider verliefen die wichtigsten Kennzahlen für diesen Swap genau andersrum wie von Goldman vorhergesagt. Goldman wettet selbst gerne gegen Unternehmen (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2011/12/12033/" title="Goldman wettet gegen europäische Unternehmen"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr hier</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">) und empfiehlt auch Wetten gegen Europa (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2011/11/12021/" title="Goldman Sachs empfiehlt Wetten gegen Europa"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr hier</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Die Folge für Griechenland: Aus einem Kredit von 2,8 Milliarden Euro war – dank der fachkundigen Beratung durch Goldman (Goldman erteilt auch Politikern gerne Ratschläge – </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2011/11/32840/" title="Goldman Sachs rät Angela Merkel zum Gelddrucken"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr hier</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">) – ein doppelt so hoher Schuldenberg geworden: Nun standen die Griechen durch die Derivate mit 5,1 Milliarden Euro in der Kreide. Goldman machte bei dem Deal einen Profit von 600 Millionen Euro – wobei schwer zu sagen ist, wie viel Profit die Bank wirklich erzielt hat, weil sie ja auch Kosten für den Kredite und die Transaktion verbuchen musste. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Immerhin: Die 600 Millionen Profit stellten im Jahr 2001 etwa 12% des Umsatzes der Abteilung dar, die für Goldman das Geschäft machte. Der Chef der Abteilung: Lloyd Blankfein, heute oberster Chef von Goldman. Der Chef für europäisches Risiko-Management bei Goldman in London war zur damaligen Zeit auch einer, der später noch eine große Karriere in der europäischen Schuldenkrise machen sollte: Bis zum heutigen Tag bestreitet EZB-Chef Mario Draghi, auch nur irgendetwas von dem Griechen-Deal gewusst zu haben.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Anfangs waren die Griechen von dem Deal ganz begeistert: Sie hätten von Goldman drei Jahre Befreiung von der Schuldentilgung bekommen. Der gesamte Kredit wäre in den folgenden 15 Jahren abzubezahlen gewesen. Das schien ihnen, wie allen Schuldnern, eine attraktive Lösung – weil Schulden immer auf Zeitgewinn setzen, auch wenn es keinen rationalen Grund dafür gibt, dass es einmal besser werden würde.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Auch Goldman wurde die Sache am Ende zu hieß. So reiste die zuständige Mitarbeiterin, Addy Loudiadis, im August 2005 nach Athen und sorgte dafür, dass der gesamte Kredit an die griechische Notenbank abgewälzt wurde. Damit hatte Goldman ein gutes Geschäft gemacht – und der Schuldenberg war dezent in die öffentliche Hand transferiert.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Dasselbe geschieht im Übrigen beim aktuellen Schuldenschnitt: Das gesamte Risiko übernehmen die Steuerzahler Europas, weil die EZB, der IWF und die nationalen Notenbanken an die Stelle der privaten Gläubiger treten. So schließt sich ein Kreis: Das Bestreben der kriminellen griechischen Politik, die Zahlen zu fälschen, traf auf die skrupellose Geschäftstüchtigkeit von Goldman und wurde, weil das Geschehen in der Folge völlig außer Kontrolle geriet, zum Initialereignis der Eskalation der europäischen Schuldenkrise. Die Investmentbanken verdienen bei den Maßnahmen gegen die Krise wieder mit (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2011/11/11780/" title="Wie Goldman Sachs am EFSF mitverdient"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr heir</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Der italienische Ökonomie-Professor und Autor des Standardwerks „Derivate und öffentliches Schulden-Management“, Gustavo Piga, sagte in einem Interview dieser Tage: „Bei Deals mit Geheimhaltung haben die Makler immer die Oberhand und verwenden sie, um die Steuerzahler auszuquetschen. Die Verhandlungsmacht liegt vollständig in den Händen der Investment-Banken.“</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Inzwischen sind ehemalige hohe Mitarbeiter der Investmentbank auch an politischen Schlüsselstellen in Europa untergekommen. Der Chef der Europäischen Zentralbank, Mario Draghi, kommt aus der Chefetage von Goldman Sachs (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2011/06/18811/" title="EZB: Kein Kompromiss sondern Draghi"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr hier</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">). Und auch der italienische Premierminister Mario Monti hat berufliche Verbindungen zu Goldman (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.deutsche-mittelstands-nachrichten.de/2011/11/11670/" title="Italien: Monti ist im Nebenjob Berater bei Goldman Sachs"><span lang="DE-AT" style="color: blue;">mehr hier</span></a></span><span lang="DE-AT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="DE-AT"> <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/10/deutsche-bank-vegas-exposure-equals.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/10/deutsche-bank-vegas-exposure-equals.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="DE-AT"> <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/11/goldman-sachs-and-europes-inside-job.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/11/goldman-sachs-and-europes-inside-job.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0Z8qGylGLXPs1ldJAzJjaUT7GwkIlZEjY5i_Emv2QQ-Yr2r7RmTh1DfVjpyjL5uKW8q_1SdLD_o2WVjiDZHB5Ecq9HIUDT5e8aQPGeqia8_rvxsprFOXQipiUTzrgdaEeolCQLI8w3gO/s1600/goldman-sachs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0Z8qGylGLXPs1ldJAzJjaUT7GwkIlZEjY5i_Emv2QQ-Yr2r7RmTh1DfVjpyjL5uKW8q_1SdLD_o2WVjiDZHB5Ecq9HIUDT5e8aQPGeqia8_rvxsprFOXQipiUTzrgdaEeolCQLI8w3gO/s320/goldman-sachs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100.0%;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="color: red; padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Below article was posted on this blog October 2011!</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Dateline Greece: Goldman, Just Pay Up</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="color: red; padding: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><br />By <b>SREERAM CHAULIA </b> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/10/banking-institutions-are-more-dangerous.html"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <span style="color: white; font-size: small;">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/10/banking-institutions-are-more-dangerous.html</span></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: blue;">As Greece teeters on the edge of sovereign default of around $300 billion and sends shudders of premonition throughout the global economy, the fingerprints of </span><span style="color: red;">Goldman Sachs </span> <span style="color: blue;">are once again to be found, as in so many crises beforehand. Sreeram Chaulia argues that Goldman should accept moral responsibility and contribute funds to bailing out Greece.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">A<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">s more skeletons fall out of the closet, it is coming to light that Greece's profligacy was abetted and managed for several years by the top Wall Street financial firms via complex instruments. </span></div><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 151px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 130px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Economies of developing countries have endured decades of bitter experiences of falling into debt traps that sap productive resources.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In 2001, before spendthrift Greece could enter the eurozone by satisfying the deficit limit rules of the currency union, Goldman Sachs entered the picture with a tricky currency trade deal that would hide billions of dollars of additional public borrowing and not make it look like debt. For this piece of consultancy, which helped Greece join the euro by hook or by crook, Goldman received fees of $300 million. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In 2005, Goldman sold to the National Bank of Greece an “interest rate swap,” one of the notorious derivatives that have come under scrutiny since the Wall Street implosion of 2008. Greek critics of such dubious debt-hiding transactions had warned their government of the mounting long-term liabilities to the likes of Goldman, but to no avail. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">According to news reports, Greece mortgaged revenue-generating assets like the national lottery, airports and highways as part of the agreements with Goldman in what amounted to "a garage sale on a national scale." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Goldman Sachs is reported to have attempted a redux of 2001 when its president, Gary Cohn, landed in Athens in November 2009 with a similar debt deferral proposal that would continue to fool investors and the EU. This time around, Greece did not oblige. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">But the damage had already been done over a decade of spiraling foreign debt that was repackaged and postponed with Wall Street's wizardry. We now know that similar borrowing binges were occurring in the rest of the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain) economies courtesy of the financial dodging expertise of Goldman, JPMorgan and the entire cadre of hedge funds. </span></div><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 151px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 130px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It may not be unfair if the EU demands that Goldman accept moral responsibility and contribute to bailing out Greece.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Economies of developing countries, especially in Africa and Latin America, have endured decades of bitter experiences of falling into debt traps that sap productive resources, benefit speculative financiers and weaken state capacities to govern. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In their cases, the Bretton Woods institutions acted as economic restructuring consultants and funding taps that only opened if the recipients met crushing conditionalities. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">John Perkins's book, "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man," reveals how highly paid professionals with knowledge of macroeconomics and world affairs were deployed to convince political and financial leaders of poor countries to accept massive "development loans" from the World Bank and USAID. Once ensnared, the supplicants would be subjected to pressure on different issues from Washington. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In the PIGS economies, it was not so much strategically motivated hit men working for the U.S. government but rather some freewheeling U.S. financial corporations that could make a killing out of clients who were addicted to reckless state spending. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">In late February 2010, as the EU began investigating the Wall Street shenanigans in Athens, Goldman defended its Greek misadventures by arguing, predictably enough, that they were legal actions consistent with the regulations of their time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Of course, much of the fault lay with the Greek politicians who were seduced by the Wall Street financial advisers who, for their part, were simply pursuing the bread-and-butter business of circulating wealth for profit. </span></div><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 151px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 130px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of course, much of the fault lay with the Greek politicians who were seduced by Wall Street financial advisers.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></td> </tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Had Athens been more disciplined in organizing its finances, there would not have been a window of opportunity for Goldman and company to exploit its vulnerability. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">But southern Europe's debt-proneness has systemic consequences from which Wall Street cannot easily extricate itself. While there is no evidence to suggest that U.S. investment banks deliberately dug the graves of PIGS to weaken the euro, the disastrous social costs of their financial chicanery call for reparations. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">It may not be unfair if the EU demands that Goldman, which now leads the earnings chart on Wall Street, accept moral responsibility and contribute to bailing out Greece. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Who knows — now that even the U.S. Federal Reserve is making noises about investigating Goldman’s practices, the firm may be in a hurry to pay up. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Editor's Note: This feature is adapted from a longer version published in The Financial Express on February 25, 2010</span></i>

GOLDMAN SACHS

Griechenland: Geheimer Deal mit Goldman Sachs löste Euro-Krise aus  Via Deutsche-Mittelstands-Nachrichten Für die Investmentbanken sind die ...

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